www.erican.edu.my

Datuk Eric Chong

Comprehension BookletLevel 2

Love and Be Loved

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Love and Be Loved

We live in a world in which jealousy and ill will abound.

Duetointensecompetitionineveryfieldandmarketoutthere,everybody wants everybody else dead. Very few believe in mutual prosperity.Thecommonbeliefis-IfIamtowin,youmustlose.

Many people see life as a casino. From the moment you step intothatluxuriouscarpetedroom,itiseitheryouorthecasino.Ifthecasinowins,youlose.Ifyouwin,thecasinoloses.Fartoomanypeopleadopt this type of philosophy in whatever they do.

Fartoomanybelievethis:“Iftheemployerwins,theemployeeslose.Ifthebusinesswins,thecustomerslose.Ifthegovernmentwins,the citizens lose.”

Itisasaresultofsomanypeoplethinkinglikethisthatmanymarkets have become so negatively shaped. The commonmode ofbusinesshasgonefrom‘doontoothers,asyouwouldhavedoneontoyou’to‘toclimbupthesocialladder,you’vegottosteponsomebodyelse’s dead body’.

Ibegtodiffer.Isay-let’sloveandbeloved!

Theworldthatweliveinisonethatweshouldalltreasure.Yes,weallwanttoachievesuccess,butthisdoesnothavetocomeattheexpense of other people. There shouldn’t be hate and jealousy. Thereshouldbeloveandgenuinecare.Thepowerof loveisthestrongestpower that exists. Love is like water; it dissolves and immerseseverythingwhereveritgoes.Hatecannotchallengelove,justlikenightcannotchallengedayanddespaircannotchallengehope.

Just thinkof thegreatestandnoblestnames in thehistoryofmankind.Someof themost lastingand influentialpeopleare thosewho loved,not thosewhohated.PeoplesuchasJesus,BuddhaandConfucius conquered theworld for not just one generation, but forcountlessgenerations.Theydidthisallthroughlove.

Someofthesegreatestfigureslookedfrailandpowerless.Theyneverresortedtobruteforcetomakepeoplebelieveintheircausesandbecometheirfollowers.Andtheydidn’tjustspreadthemessageoflove,theywalkedtheirtalk.Thesepeoplearethetruemanifestationsof the essence of love.

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Thinkaboutthoseinhistorywhowerepowerfulforaperiodoftime,buttheirinfluencefailedtolastformorethanafewgenerations.

Thesepeopleconqueredbyforce.InChina,therewereQinShiHuangandGenghisKhan. InEurope, therewereAdolfHitler,OliverCromwell,AlexandertheGreatandNapoleon.Thesepeoplewerenodoubtthemostpowerfulpeopleoftheirtime,buthistoryshowsthattheir influencewas confined to limited territories. These figures arealso controversial. Some people love them,while others hate themvehemently.

Butthosewhopreachthemessageoflovetranscendnationality,genderandtime.Theybecomeimmortal.Thoughtheyhavedied,theirspirits will live forever.

Ifyouwanttobetrulysuccessful,youneedtodevelopgenuineloveandcareforpeople.No,youdon’tneedtotryandloveeachandeverypersoninthisworld.Afterall,noneofushavethecapacitytodoso.Butyes,youcanloveallthosearoundyou.

Ifyoucangenuinelylovepeople,peoplewillreturnthatlovetoyou tenfold.

Loveyourschool!There’snoreasonwhyyoushouldstudyinaschoolandyethateit.Afterall,thatschoolismadeupofyourteachersand your fellow students. And are these people not an important part ofyourcollectivememory?Yes,thesearethepeoplewhosharethemostimportantgrowingyearswithyou.

Loveyourcompany!Ifyoudon’tlovethecompanythatyouworkfor,thenleave.Don’tstickaroundinanorganisationthatyouhatejustbecauseyouneedajob.Howcanyoukeepsayingthatthecompanythatyouworkforisaterribleonewhileyoucontinuetoworkthere?Thatinitselfmakespeoplethinktwiceaboutyourintegrity.

Ifyoudecidetostickaroundinanorganisation,learntoloveit.Helpitgrowwithapassionthatiseverpresentinyourheart!Doyourbestandtreatthecompanythatyouworkforlikeyourown.Don’tsay‘the company Iwork for’; say ‘MyCompany’. Thatwill demonstrateyourloveandsenseofcommitmenttotheorganisation.

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Loveyour family!Loveyourwife,yourchildren,yourparents,your brothers and your sisters. Your family is the foundation of your very existence. This entity deserves your absolute and undivided love and attention.

Yourparentsbroughtyouintothisworld.Theyraisedyou,tookcareofyoureveryneedandgaveyoueveryounceoflovethattheycouldpossiblygive.

Doyoustillrememberthevowyoumadetoyourthen-girlfriendandnow-wifeonyourweddingday:“TillDeathdouspart.”?Areyoukeepingthatpromise?Doyoustillloveherasmuchasshedeserves?

Your children are your most prized assets. They shall be your continuity. They are your hope and your future. Are you spendingenoughtimewiththemandleadingthemdowntherightpath?

Your brothers and your sisters are to be loved. Weren’t they once yourclosestplaymatesandcompanions?Didn’tyougrowuptogetherunder one roof?

Love your neighbours, your friends and your colleagues! Helpthemtobetterthemselves.Whateveryoudo,havetheirgenuinebestinterests at heart and be happy when they achieve and do well. Weep alongsidethemwhenthey’redown.Blessthemsincerelyeverydayfrom the bottom of your heart.

Whenyouareabletodothisforthepeoplearoundyou,youwillbecomewell-loved.Blessotherpeopleandyouwillbedoublyblessedyourself.Asthesonggoes,“Andifyoudodecide,Ihopekindnesswillbeyourguide.Putalittleloveinyourheart…andtheworldwillbeabetter place.”

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Questions

1. Do you see life as a casino?

2.Successdoesnothavetocomeattheexpenseofotherpeople.Doyouagree?Givereasonforyourchoice.

3.SomeofthemostlastingandinfluentialpeoplelikeBuddhaand Confucius are those who loved not those who hated. Discuss.

4.“Ifyouwanttobetrulysuccessful,youneedtodevelopgenuineloveandcareforpeople.”Stateyourviewpointsonthis.

5. Do you believe your family is the foundation of your existence? Givereasonsforyourchoice.

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NOTES

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